Evo won't turn
 

Hello all, I need some ideas on a problem with my 1995 Road King. She has 46000 on her and up to this point has run very well, but now i'm afraid something serious has happened. I had just finished putting a crane 310-2 cam in with new bearing and a metal breather gear also and was out testing her out for about 150 miles the other day. All seamed fine until I got home put it in neutral to open the garage when she just died, I tried to start it but got just a clunk. I will add here that it did seem to run hotter then normal but I was thinking this had to do with the new cam. Anyways I had the battery tested and it was ok, I cleaned the terminals for the starter but still nothing. I then decided to take the starter out and removed the primary cover. I wanted to see if things would move so I rotated the tire backwards in 5th gear, it went fine until I heard a clunk and it stopped dead. I then put the bike in neutral and hit the start button and the starter acted normal, turning the engine over til once again it clunked and stopped dead. To be clear the clunk is coming from the engine.... I did take the cam chest apart to make sure everything there was ok and it looked fine, plus the oil which was new before the test ride has been flowing and has already turned color and the pressure light goes out so I think oil was flowing ok. I get the feeling I'm now gonna learn some more about my Harley, just need some ideas from those who know. Thanks for any help, Bill.

There are a few things, first a valve hitting a piston which has my vote. Second possibility is the piston hitting the head. Causes of this could be bad bearing, bad wrist pin bushing, but if it was running OK before than this is probably not it. I would still look at it as a valve/piston problem, barring anything wrong in the primary or cam chest.
John

Remove primary cover once again, pull the spark plugs out and turn the engine over by hand. You can use compensator sprocket wrench to turn it but dont force it If you`ll feel some resistance.

Thanks for the replies, I have free handed it and the engine will rotate freely both ways and feels good until a certain spot. I am leaning toward the valve/piston problem also. I will try to see if I can get a feel for which one it is happening in and take it apart tomorrow. Thanks again.

Suggests to me that cam timing is out, for the valves to argue with the pistons, unless one of them has stuck open. However it seems you will need to remove the heads and sort out the poor valves first.

Now that it turns freely by hand, I would pull the plugs and spin the motor with the starter. Does the air escaping from the spark plug holes feel the same?

Dropped valve guide?

It will turn but only for a short time...not even a complete cycle. I am gonna take heads off now so I will let ya know what I find. Thanks again.

Ok, well this is just very puzzling to me. I found the problem when I took the rear head off and flipped it over. Couldn't believe my eyes when I see a allen head bolt driven into the lower face of the head. Yes I had the intake and exhaust off but I know I didn't drop anything in ...no way. And it gets better...when I looked in the jug there was another one sitting on top the piston......I have only two thoughts...1. I'm loony or 2. maybe a mouse or chipmunk stashed em there as I must confess I didn't plug the openings the first night. And better still I'm not missing any. IDK Anyway I pulled the other head and since I have it down I will do the top end...anyway thank you all for your help and I will let you know how it goes.

Are all the screws accounted for on the carburetor backing plate?